Salvation (Joseph Seed)

10. Dinner with Joseph

"Of course, I'd be happy to answer them" the Father smiled, hoping that whatever questions Evelyn had could be answered easily.

"In the book you talk about 'the collapse', the end of the world...is that a metaphor or so you truly believe it will happen?" she asked, looking across the table at him curiously.

"My child, the collapse is real and it is coming. It's inevitable. But it is nothing to fear if you know the truth. I don't know when it will happen but I know that it will, it is my duty to spread God's word and show others the path. It is my duty to save them. My brothers and I were chosen to lead these people to safety, to save their lives" Joseph explained to her. He would answer all of her questions honestly because he had nothing to hide.

"And the voice told you this?" she tilted her head to the side. The more she learnt about this man the more interested she became.

"It did" he nodded, knowing that if anything was going to scare her away it would be this.

"And the voice is...God?" Evelyn asked, she could barely believe she was asking such a question.

"I know how it must sound, many have thought me to be insane. I will admit that because they are wrong. I have been diagnosed with many different disorders but no medication and no treatment worked because the voice is not something that can be so easily understood. God speaks to me because he knew that I would listen" Joseph explained as best and as simply as he could. "Do you believe me?" he asked, wanting nothing more than for her to say 'yes'. Perhaps he was finally beginning to understand his brother's obsession with the word.

"I'm not sure, this is a lot to wrap my head around but I want to believe you" Evelyn told him honestly, she wasn't going to lie to him.

"Good, that is the first step" Joseph nodded, it wasn't ideal but it was enough.

"But I would like to join the Project. Something about you and this place just tells me that I belong here" she explained, hoping that he would still let her join.

"That's because you do belong here. I will arrange the baptism and confession as soon as possible for you" he assured her with a welcoming smile.

"I was wondering if you could hold my confession...it's just that I would feel more comfortable with you than John since I know you better" Evelyn asked, looking over at the Father.

"Of course, I would be happy to do that for you" Joseph smiled, trying not to let it show that he was incredibly happy that she would prefer him to hold her confession over John.

"Thank you" the young woman smiled across at him.

"You're welcome" the preacher smiled back as they continued to eat their meals.

"Do you not go to school, Evelyn?" Joseph asked, wanting to know more about the woman sitting opposite him.

"Uh...no, I dropped out of school when we moved to Hope County" Evelyn told him honestly, it wasn't exactly something that she shared with everyone.

"Why is that?" he asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

"Mostly because it was easier than finding another school nearby" she shrugged, sharing part of the reason with him.

Joseph could sense that there was something that Evelyn wasn't telling him, that there was something that she didn't want to talk about but he knew that he would hear about it eventually. He would hear about it during her confession.

"Have you met any other residents of Hope County yet?" Joseph asked, remembering that she hadn't had much contact with anyone else who lives in Hope County, outside of the Project.

"Oh...no, I wouldn't know where to start and my parents aren't really the sociable type either" she shook her head, laughing slightly to herself. Even in their old town Evelyn's parents didn't make too much of an effort to make friends with the neighbours.

"They don't like meeting people?" Joseph asked. He couldn't explain why but he already had a strange disliking for her parents, maybe it was the way that she spoke about them, or avoiding talking about them.

"Not exactly, they just don't leave the house much. My mom only goes into town when she is getting groceries and I don't think my dad has left the house since we moved in" Evelyn explained with a small shrug.

"Your father doesn't work?" he asked.

"No, he doesn't. My mom works though, she works from home. So they are both always there, pretty much anyway" she told him.

"It's still all new to you, don't worry, you will find a whole new life here and I hope that our family has a part in that life" Joseph smiled. He knew that people would be quick to take a liking to her, he certainly was, and he knew that he wanted to be a part of her life more than anything.

"I'm sure you will be" Evelyn nodded with a smile, and she truly meant it.

The two smiled across at each other, both of them smiling a little more as they made eye contact. Evelyn couldn't explain what exactly made her smile so much but it was just something about Joseph, whenever she thought about him or pictured his face she would find herself smiling. She hated to admit it because he was The Father and because of the age difference but Evelyn knew that she had a crush on Joseph Seed.